The L.A. Times reports that the family of a transgender middle school student in Arcadia, California is happy to learn that the school district and the U.S. Department of Education have reached a settlement in the case involving their son.
The student, unnamed because he is a minor, was born female but identifies as a male. He had previously been prohibited from accessing boys restrooms and locker rooms at the school because he is transgender. He has self-identified as a male from a young age. But his parents complained that the school would not allow him to use boys facilities. They said that during one district-sponsored overnight camp, he was not allowed to stay in the boys cabin, and was instead assigned a separate cabin by himself.
A Title X investigation was launched by the U.S. Department of Education into the allegations of discrimination. The school has settled the case by agreeing to immediately ale steps to treat the student like all other boys. Furthermore, the district has agreed to amend its own policies against gender-based discrimination to include any discrimination based on transgender conflicts. Teachers will be trained in how to handle such matters so as to be in compliance with the new policies.
These kinds of policy changes and training are not unusual. In the not-too-distant past, companies, schools and other entities had to come up with official policies that define where the organization stands on matters such as sexual harassment. Companies that do not specifically define expectations in such matters for employees, and enforce those standards, can find themselves the object of lawsuits should an incident violating the rights of others arise.
Other similar policy issues include conflict of interest, gift-giving and -receiving behaviors, and even dress codes.